1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automotive accessories such as rearview mirrors and, more particularly, to a shock absorbing mechanism for a rearview mirror assembly of a motor vehicle in which a mirror body is adapted to be mounted externally of the vehicle adjacent to the windshield and at the left or right side of the vehicle, and is designed to be inclined forcibly in a horizontal direction rearward or forward.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some rearview mirror assemblies mounted on motor vehicles are designed with shock absorbing mechanisms which arrange the rearview mirror bodies to be inclined forcibly in a horizontal direction when an external pressure is applied thereto from the horizontal direction, thereby reducing a shock which would be caused when someone touches the mirror body or external force is applied thereto at the time of a collision or the like. The rearview mirror body is returned to the original standing position against the motor vehicle when the external pressure is removed. For such a shock absorbing mechanism for rearview mirror assembly of a motor vehicle as described above, one of a double-hinge construction has been generally employed. However, this shock absorbing mechanism of a double-hinge construction is disadvantageous in that the number of required component parts is large, increasing the manufacturing cost. Although it is proposed for one of non-double-hinge construction (for example, a rearview mirror assembly disclosed within the Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication (Jikkaisho) No. 56-143135) that, as shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, a pair of recesses 3 is provided in either one of a mirror body 1 and a door mounting base 2. A pair of protuberances 4 to be engaged with the recesses 3 is provided in the outer one of the mirror body 1 and the door mounting base 2, with a spring 5 stretched between the mirror body 1 and the base 2. However, according to this arrangement it is inconvenient in that the engagement between the recesses 3 and the protuberances 4 is broken off when the external pressure is applied from a vertical or a slantwise direction.
Furthermore, when a motor vehicle has to be moved into a narrow space or in the case of transportation of motor vehicles, it is preferable to hold the mirror body in an inclined position. However, according to the prior art shock absorbing mechanism as described above, such problems as complicated construction, consequent increase in manufacturing cost, and the like, in order to retain the mirror body in the inclined position, have to be solved.